Curt Boettcher was a musician and producer who played a formative role in the sunshine pop genre, and had worked with artists I’ve listened to lately such as the Association, the Millennium, and Sagittarius, and had also worked with other artists like Elton John, Gene Clark, and the Beach Boys, to name a few. This album, There’s an Innocent Face (1972), was the only solo album that Boettcher ever released during his life. I’ve been on somewhat of a sunshine pop streak lately, and I’m digging the style, so I’m pretty stoked to listen to this album. With that said, I’m going to jump on into the music.
Oh wow, “I Love You More Each Day” starts out immediately with some super bright, pop-y acoustic guitar chords. Oh wow, there’s a super interesting electric guitar part that seems to remind me a bit of Steely Dan’s album, Gaucho (1980). In fact, the overall sound of the recording feels like some psychedelic mixture of sunshine pop and upbeat yacht rock, and I’m digging the sound. Great track, and I’m excited to hear more.
Oh wow, “Such a Lady” starts out with a bit of a galloping acoustic guitar chord progression, with a pedal steel guitar in the background that seems to gradually paint a country sky into the soundscape. Oh wow, the clean electric guitar solo seems to drip into the soundscape with an abundance of flavor. Wow, great tune.
“She’ll Stay With You” starts out with an interesting chord progression on some acoustic guitars, which almost have a bit of a country ragtime sound. Oh wow, the bass notes on the piano really bring about more of that ragtime sort of sound. Oh wow, the vocal arrangement has become a sort of sunshine pop doo-wop sound, and I really dig the sound. Great track.
Oh wow, “Love You Yes I Do” has a really sweet, bright, folksy sound in the acoustic guitar chord progression, which is soon joined by some super bright, layered vocals that evoke a sort of Beach Boys vibe. Oh wow, the sound feels like an interesting combination of Gene Clark meets the Beach Boys. The instrumentation seems to get rollicking around a bit in the background while the sweetness of the vocals fill the soundscape. Wow, great tune.
Oh wow, “Without Her” reminds me a lot of Paul Simon with the acoustic guitar and the tone of the vocal line. I really dig the keyboard part in the background, which evokes a sweet psychedelic sound in the short tune. Great track.
“Bobby California” begins with some chatter from what sounds to be a concert, which soon gets grooving in a style reminiscent of the Beach Boys. The combination of the keyboard and the bass guitar produces a pretty funky groove, with a strong backbeat from the drums behind them. I’m really digging this track so far. Oh wow, the electric guitar seems to come in with some more Beach Boys-esque sound. Oh wow, the band gets into a bit of a jam for a moment before the vocals come back in. Super groovy tune.
Oh wow, “The Choice Is Yours” seems to land right in place coming off of the heels of the previous track with a bright, light acoustic guitar chord progression, and a very bouncy beat from the drums and bass. Oh wow, the track has become a sort of funky Beach Boys song. Super sweet track.
Oh wow, “Malachi Star” gets moving into a bit of psychedelic pop marching groove with a bit of a funk feel. Oh wow, the synthesizer keys are super sweet. The beat of the drums combined with the strumming of the acoustic guitar produces a super sweet jangling sound that really makes the soundscape feel all the more dynamic. Great tune.
“Lay Down” starts out with some super sweet, light, and delicate acoustic guitar chords. The tune feels like a very bright and light Gene Clark type of track, and I’m really digging it. Super sweet track.
“I’ve Been Wrong” begins again with some light and bright acoustic guitar chords. Oh wow, there’s a second acoustic guitar part that comes in with some lower notes, which add a ton of depth to the soundscape. I really dig the light singer/songwriter style of the track. Great tune.
Oh wow, “Wufferton Frog” gets moving around with a super flavorful acoustic guitar chord progression. Oh wow, the tone of the tune reminds me a bit of Frank Zappa in a roundabout way. Holy smokes, the tune seems to get brought into a psychedelic pop realm with the background chorus vocals that sound as though the chorus is comprised of 100 people or so, while a tuba seems to bop the tune along and some interesting sound effects further paint the psychedelic sound into the soundscape. Great track, and a super sweet way to end the album.
Wow, this album was a super sweet and very interesting listening experience. The album covered a pretty wide range of genres while still feeling wholly like a sunshine pop album by incorporating different country, folk, funk, psychedelic pop, and even doo-wop elements throughout. If you dig the sound of sunshine pop and are a fan of the Beach Boys, you might want to consider checking out this album. If you do decide to give this album a listen, I sincerely hope that you enjoy the listening experience at least as much as I did.
-A